Kandy, a UNESCO Heritage city and a popular tourist attraction in the central hills of Sri Lanka; once was the last stronghold of the brave Sinhalese monarchy, which included great kings like King Wimaladharmasooriya I, Rajasinghe II and King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe, who gave up their lives for the freedom and future of their country. Kandy now stands still, a shadow of its former glory. However, every year, as the seventh and eighth months of Esala, Nikini or July, August approach, Kandy comes alive with the Kandy Esala Perehara. Thousands of locals from all around the island nation, and thousands more from all around the globe gather to witness this sacred Perahera or Procession, which is a ten day long event that celebrates Sri Lankas’ Cultural unity, tradition and deep devotion for religion. The Kandy Esala Perehara is indeed the heart of Sri Lankan tradition and its legacy; the following poem describes how it came to be.
Esala festival
that began before Anno Domini
Was a call to the gods for rain
as well as abundance in grain.
Danta, Hemamala brought Srilanka
the Sacred tooth relic,
Buddhism and the relic decided
Who was rightfully king,
The esala festival and
honour to the relic combined
Came to be known,
Kandy Esala perehara in time.
Even though the poem gives a basic introduction to the origins of the Kandy Esala Perehara; it does not capture the true essence of its growth over the centuries and the deep devotion and cultural pride of the many generations of Sri Lankans who have come to pass, as well as the ones living today, which includes the Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, Generation Z and Generation Alpha.
The Kandy Esala Perehara is one of the oldest and most enduring cultural processions’ in the continent of Asia and the world. The Esala festival, which first began in the 3rd century BCE, was a call to the Gods for timely rainfall each year, to ensure the fields are rich in grain for cultivation during the two harvest seasons of Yala and Maha, in ancient Sri Lanka. Furthermore, as time went by, Prince Danta and Princess Hemamala of India brought the Sacred tooth relic of the Buddha to Sri Lanka. A new procession commenced in the honour of the Sacred tooth relic called the Dalada Perahera. Originally, the Sacred tooth relic was not paraded during the Dalada Perahera procession and more importance was given to Brahminical deities who were worshipped in common by the Buddhist and Hindus. However, this inconsistency as a Buddhist nation changed with the efforts of the Siamese monk Upali Thera and king Kirti Sri Rajasinghe; the Dala Perehara was combined with the Esala festival, and the modern Kandy Esala Perehara was formed and standardized. During King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe’s reign in Kandy, the Sacred tooth relic was paraded in the procession for the first time, so that the masses may see and venerate it, and since then, it was a tradition that defied time, and is ongoing till date. After the fall of the Kandyan Kingdom to the British in 1815 and the Sinhalese royalty came to an end, the Sacred Tooth Relic was entrusted with the Maha Sangha or Buddhist monks, and a civilian custodian known as the “Diyawadana Nilame” was appointed to administer and protect the Kandy Esala Perehara and the Temple of the Tooth. The Kandy Esala Perehara flourished even though the British rule, becoming an eternal symbol of Sri Lankan identity.
Kandy Esala Perehara, while preserving centuries old traditions, has also evolved into a majo tourist attraction for both the local and international population alike. The Kandy Esala Perehara starts with the four Devale Pereharas from the temples of deities- Natha, Vishnu, Pattini and Katharagama. Then the perehara or procession grows in to the Kumbala Perehara, which adds to it, singers clad in white, drummers, musicians, dancers, flag bearers and decorated elephants. Then the procession enlarges ones more into the Randoli Perehara, which adds to it royal style palanquins; representing the queens of ancient Kandy. Finally, comes the Maha Randoli Perehara, which adds to the procession the Sacred tooth relic in a golden casket, on top of the ceremonial tusker, decorated majestically. Beyond the beauty of the procession; hotels along the route of the Kandy Esala Perehara are booked months in advance, so that all tourists get a front- row view to the procession in all it’s grandeur, which also is a perfect photograph opportunity. Furthermore, tourists are able to get their hands on a variety of traditional Sri Lankan cuisine during the procession from street stalls, including: spiced corn, coconut- and- sugar treats, Roll leaf with honey, Curry rice, Hoppers, Vada and more. They also have the chance to buy a lasting memory of the grand procession like wood carvings, Kandyan dance masks, postcards, Kandyan style jewellery and Kandy Esala Perehara inspired key chains. Kandy, being a UNESCO heritage site attracts local and international media coverage as well as photographers, thus playing a major role in Sri Lanka’s tourism through the Kandy Esala Perehara.
The Kandy Esala Perehara is not just a procession, but an attempt to keep tradition alive, with the relentless support of the local community. Elders in both villages and cities, as well as individuals who are themselves artist’s in the procession, give the best of their efforts in training the future generations in the traditional arts of Kandyan dancing, drumming and acrobats. Furthermore, elephant trainers, also known as mahouts, prepare the elephants as well as tuskers for the Kandy Esala Perehara in colourful silk clothes and fairy lights. The mahouts come from ethnic groups with generations of elephant keeping expertise, and is a great example of the centuries old bond of understanding between animals and humans. By ensuring the continuity of the traditional arts and the relationship amongst the grand tuskers and mahouts, we ensure that the Kandy Esala Perehara is relevant not just for the past and present, but the future as well.
The Kandy Esala Perehara is a symbol of Sri Lankan identity that withstood political turmoil, plague as well as rain. It is a site that mesmerizes people from around the globe, and the thread that connects generations of tradition, art, duty and hardwork. Every year, as we celebrate the Kandy Esala Perehara, we must remember our identity as true and proud Sri Lankans, inhabitants of the Pearl of the Indian Ocean.
By: S. D. A. Sanduni Lilamani Jayawardena
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